Their bums were cold but their hearts were warm as the fans gathered on the concrete floor of The Workers Club to catch former Townsville lass, Kate Martin, for another of her residency shows.
With talent like Ainslie Wills warming the room, it was more like a double-bill than a support act. Though not new to the scene, the VCA graduate is finally being recognised for her enormous talent. It’s a shame then, that the room was nearly empty as she graced the stage.
Alone with her Les Paul, eyes closed, Wills is an artist who is so understated in demeanour that her skill can catch you off guard. As she gracefully crooned to the crowd, guitarist Lawrence Folvig sneaked on stage to join her.
The sexy, distinctive bass-line of “Wide Load” hypnotised the audience as Wills’ voice soared effortlessly from a low whisper to her signature, pitch-perfect wail. She described “Early Morning Light” as a song about “good vibes”, telling the audience, “hopefully you get some,” cheekily adding, “good vibes, that is.”
Without her guitar, she seemed a little lost as to what to do with her hands as she held them out in front of her like an opera singer. As though the music was being exorcised from her, she rocked her body back and forth, producing a truly powerful sound.
As if written for her, a heart-wrenching cover of Radiohead’s “Nude” is a fitting tribute to one of her influences. She hit the final, high note with precision, the only disappointment being that the small audience wasn’t nearly appreciative enough.
Continuing the theme, covering Broken Bells’ “The High Road” is a wise choice and perfectly-suited. Guitar in hand, Wills is completely at home on stage.
She ends her set with “Fighting Kind”, another pace-driven song with a catchy chorus hook. Subtly marching on the spot, Wills’ beautiful, haunting voice filled the room; one that we will hopefully hear much more of in future.
Queensland’s tiny songbird, Kate Martin, began her set alone, aside from her guitar and the loop pedals at her feet. Her solo time was brief, though, as she introduced her newly-acquired Melbourne band for the second song, “Embers Burn.” With a steady beat, percussionist Andre is almost distracting in his fervour, striking the toms with the intensity and manner of a karate sensei.
Martin treated the audience to a new, percussion-heavy experiment, currently titled “Interlude”, before “Wild Horses.” As she tuned her guitar in front of the silent crowd, she remarked “I’m a perfectionist when it comes to tuning.” It’s a cleverly-constructed song with a catchy bridge, highlighting her sweet voice.
She revelled in an old piece, “Southern Rain,” that is far more stripped back, with a slow-build and much light and shade, this young lady proves that even in the beginning of her songwriting career, she was capable of creating rich orchestration.
It’s nice (and rare) to hear a performer with such good manners, as she takes a moment to thank not only the sound engineer and Ms. Wills, but her booking agent, Frankie, as well.
The song for which she is best known, “Apples,” is laden with gorgeous harmonies and an infectious chorus. The beautiful songstress engaged the audience by revealing the story behind “When You Go” – a tuen written when in a long-distance relationship that she couldn’t finish until it was over.
Playing solo, its false ending stirred applause before she incorporated her expert voice looping and got the band involved with an escalating rhythm.
After jumping and dancing around the stage, she was almost out of breath when introducing the evening’s closer, “Hold Me.”
It was fitting to end on such a happy note, as joy is something that Martin exudes. Next time you’re in need of a mood-lift, get out and see her.
